SHILLONG, April 27 � Thousands of people here yesterday walked through the route, Swami Vivekananda undertook 112 years ago in Shillong, while recalling the saint�s ideals.
The procession called �Vivek-Rath� began from Bilasipara in Assam on April 23 and covered Chapar, Dhubri, Dudhnoi, Gauripur, Goalpara and Guwahati before culminating here. The Rath began in Shillong at 8 am where thousands of people from different parts of the State and country converged at Laban where Swami Vivekananda had stayed during his visit here 112 years back.
The procession with women, men, children and monks of the Ramakrishna Mission traversed from Laban through IGP Point, Police Bazaar and converged at Quinton Hall for a public meeting where Swami Vivekananda had delivered a lecture on this day in 1901. Several dignitaries recalled the ideals of the saint and urged the gathering to imbibe his teachings.
�Swamiji said that any country which doesn�t respect its women cannot achieve greatness now or in the near future,� Keya Sengupta, Director of the Indian Institute of Management said. She said that �self-discipline is the medicine of all the scourges afflicting the society today.� The IIM Director also said that the importance of practicing self-discipline as taught by Swami Vivekananda has become all the more relevant in the present context.
PP Srivastava, member of North Eastern Council termed the congregation at the venue here a �historic occasion.�
